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How to hire a head swim coach

Head swim coach hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring head swim coaches in the United States:

  • There are currently 17,579 head swim coaches in the US, as well as 23,699 job openings.
  • Head swim coaches are in the highest demand in Lake Zurich, IL, with 3 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire a head swim coach is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new head swim coach to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a head swim coach, step by step

To hire a head swim coach, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a head swim coach, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step head swim coach hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a head swim coach job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new head swim coach
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a head swim coach, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A head swim coach's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, head swim coaches from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of head swim coaches.

    Type of Head Swim CoachDescriptionHourly rate
    Head Swim CoachCoaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players and evaluate their skills and likelihood for success at the college, amateur, or professional level... Show more$12-28
    Softball CoachA softball coach assists their team in improving their athletic prowess and participating in athletic competitions. They assist with synchronizing and conducting softball games... Show more$13-31
    CoachThe main responsibility of a coach is to motivate an individual or an entire team. Coaches are focused on improving the performance and skills of athletes by conducting training sessions, coordinating practice drills, and providing guidance... Show more$12-31
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • CPR
    • Customer Service
    • Student Athletes
    • Swim Meets
    • Role Model
    • Kids
    • NCAA
    • Water Safety
    • Practice Sessions
    • III
    • Head Lifeguard
    • Swim Lessons
    • Championship
    • Fund Raising
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
    • Remain current on all NCAA rules and guidelines for DIII, DII and DI.
    • Log and file all necessary forms and documents for NCAA compliance.Accomplishments Three NCAA time standards.
    • Coach and mentore team to top showing at district and state championship during first year.
    • Provide leadership to swim team and staff members at practice, meets, and office hours.
    • Improve the performance of a team of over 120 children, leading team to 3 division championship victories.
    More head swim coach duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your head swim coach job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A head swim coach salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, head swim coaches' average salary in wyoming is 61% less than in massachusetts.
    • Seniority. Entry-level head swim coaches earn 58% less than senior-level head swim coaches.
    • Certifications. A head swim coach with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a head swim coach's salary.

    Average head swim coach salary

    $39,414yearly

    $18.95 hourly rate

    Entry-level head swim coach salary
    $25,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 29, 2025

    Average head swim coach salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Massachusetts$55,895$27
    2New Jersey$53,276$26
    3Connecticut$52,400$25
    4California$48,938$24
    5New York$47,227$23
    6Texas$43,907$21
    7Alaska$42,915$21
    8Minnesota$42,083$20
    9North Carolina$36,683$18
    10Illinois$33,944$16
    11Kentucky$33,515$16
    12Missouri$33,182$16
    13Wisconsin$32,816$16
    14Colorado$31,766$15
    15Michigan$31,729$15
    16Georgia$31,484$15
    17Indiana$29,120$14

    Average head swim coach salary by company

  4. Writing a head swim coach job description

    A head swim coach job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a head swim coach job description:

    Head swim coach job description example

    1. Plan and lead team practices and meets, communicate with team staff to ensure practices and meets are organized

    2. Communicate with the team parent committee on a routine basis

    3. Answer and return phone calls in regards to questions about the team and the general program

    4. Supervise and instruct swim team members and assistant coaches at all practices and meets

    5. Ensure that all participants adhere to safety practices

    6. Provide administrative oversight including participation records, announcements of events, communication with other teams, etc.

    7. Host, plan and organize competitive meets as directed.

    8. Actively pursue training, learning opportunities and certifications as they relate to responsibilities

    9. Work with team parent committee to develop and implement various fundraising activities as directed by the Program Coordinator/Director.

    10. All other assigned duties pertaining to swim team

    YMCA COMPETENCIES (Team Leader): The Y: We're for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

    Mission Advancement: Models and teaches the Ys values. Ensures a high level of service with a commitment to changing lives. Provides volunteers with orientation, training, development, and recognition. Cultivates relationships to support fund-raising.

    Collaboration: Champions inclusion activities, strategies, and initiatives. Builds relationships to create small communities. Empathetically listens and communicates for understanding when negotiating and dealing with conflict. Effectively tailors communications to the appropriate audience. Provides staff with feedback, coaching, guidance and support.

    Operational Effectiveness: Provides others with frameworks for making decisions. Conducts prototypes to support the launching of programs and activities. Develops plans and manages best practices through engagement of team. Effectively creates and manages budgets. Holds staff accountable for high-quality results using a formal process to measure progress.

    QUALIFICATIONS:

    1. At least 21 years old.

    2. Excellent organizational skills.

    3. Experience in competitive swimming and coaching of competitive swimming

    4. Ability to work unsupervised

    5. Ability to work as part of a team and lead the team

    6. Minimum 1 year experience as a swim team coach

    7. Completion of YMCA Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Harassment Trainings upon hire and annually thereafter.

    8. Maintain Lifeguard, First Aid, CPR Certifications

    9. Must complete YMCA principles of Competitive Swimming.

    10. Swim Team Coaches must complete Red Cross Safety for Swim Coaches within the first 30 days of employment.

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

    1. Ability to lift up to 25 pounds associated with demonstrating and moving training equipment.

    2. Ability to adequately provide instruction and supervision for the designated program.

    3. Above average sport specific skills.

    4. Neat and clean appearance.

  • Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right head swim coach for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your head swim coach job on Zippia to find and recruit head swim coach candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  • Interview candidates

    Your first interview with head swim coach candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  • Send a job offer and onboard your new head swim coach

    Once you've selected the best head swim coach candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  • Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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  • How much does it cost to hire a head swim coach?

    Hiring a head swim coach comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting head swim coaches involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of head swim coach recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

    The median annual salary for head swim coaches is $39,414 in the US. However, the cost of head swim coach hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a head swim coach for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $28 an hour.

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